Bernard Durkan
Question:61. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current average time for the processing of carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9769/15]
View answerThursday, 5 March 2015
Questions (61)
Written answers
The average time taken to award a new claim is currently 12 weeks. Where a request is made for a review of a decision on a new claim or where a decision to disallow is appealed, this will take longer.
The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible and that backlogs in claims are kept to a minimum. Each scheme area is continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure customers are responded to as quickly as possible. The staffing needs of the Department are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources. Additional resources have been applied to help to deal with the significant increase in the number of carer’s allowance applications being received and to minimise processing times.
Question No. 62 answered with Question No. 53.